Day 1 Sydney to Goulburn
The Foxes have truly accelerated their momentum in 2021. Having worn out our welcome at home it was time to again embrace our steel companions and venture south to mountain country.
Those Foxes encouraged to do the full 5 days are Russ, Andy G, Mike, Hydro & Singo.
We departed “Breadworks” at McMahons Point at 7.30am. Singo has arrived with his replacement bike. Goodbye Vulcan Nomad 1700, hello BMW R 1200RT. Mike still has his cafe racer. Uncertain what point he is trying to make.
As we are set to leave, an ambulance pulls up at the Cafe. Surely this can’t be “Slapper” Box arriving. It wasn’t. Reportedly he remains shackled to the bed.
We head west to Kurrajong, pick up Hydro and forge our route over the Great Dividing Range. As a loosener, we choose the Jenolan Caves road which produces plenty of curvatage. Coffee at Caves House on a fine morning.
Our route takes us to Oberon, Taralga (lunch at the pub) and onto Goulburn . Easy riding through the open plains.
We arrive at the Lilac City Hotel to be told there is no room at the inn. Russ lodges a scathing review. Not happy Foxes.
We stand In the drive and work the phones to secure the necessary rooms at the Best Western. We were having dinner there anyway. It proves to be a preferable option.
Lewy & Tony (giving the new Versys its first big outing) having completed their time sheets for the week, arrive at the hotel at 7.30 in time for dinner. The discussion tonight canvassed a broad range of topics from COVID anal swabs to the Fake News that Boxy had lost part of his lung as a consequence of his accident. It didn’t happen (confirmed by Boxy at lunch during the week). Resolved that this is a good thing.
Day 2 Goulburn to Cooma
Early coffee in the Main Street. Andy Riches has arrived at 9am. 8 of us depart Goulburn & head to Crookwell for Bfast. Nothing at Crookwell.
Boorowa. Harden. Jugiong. Gundagai for lunch at Criterion Hotel.
Best ride EVER this morning. Winding roads, no traffic & an authentic Aussie landscape marked by rusted buildings, low hills, golden fields & assorted animals. We hit a small patch of gravel road out of Boorowa which momentarily upset the troops. A pull over to the side, Andy out with his printed map & earnest discussion. It was resolved to stay calm, take a photo and carry on.
From Gundagai we headed into Kosciusko NP for some intense riding. The air is cool, the energy is high. The landscape is sublime. A break at Kiandra (stop for photos!) and on to Cooma for the night.
After a day like that, time to head to the pub for a beer and to Dinner at Rosie’s Lebanese. Very quick service!
Day 3 Cooma to Dalgety
Valentines Day. Various messages sent home to assuage the other halves. Now back to what we do best!
Tony, Pete & Andy R depart the group and head home after breakfast.
As the crow flies, Dalgety is only 50kms away but we spend the day tooling around the Snowy Mountains.
We journey to Adaminaby on long open curves through rocky fields. At Tumut we pass a dam and power station, fearing another tutorial from our esteemed Hydro (refer Snowy Mtns ride 2014). He said we were Luddites and wouldn’t waste his time. From Khancoban it’s back into the Kosciuskzo NP high country, variously passing through burnt forests and bare lunar landscapes. One of our favoured rides.
We arrive at Dalgety which has nothing but a pub where we are staying tonight. Hang out in the verandah where other tourists with nothing to do surreptitiously take photos of us. Shared bathrooms may be a challenge? Yeah, nah.
Day 4 Dalgety to Bombala
This is our ‘Surf & Turf’ day. Hydro has declared his bike unfit to ride (tyre has a tear) and located a replacement at Bega. Ok, looks like we are heading for the coast. Departing Dalgety, we navigate the pass at Browns Mountain (sadly too much traffic so slow going) & a beautiful road to Candelo. This is the land of green fields & Frisian cows.
Hydro is operational so we wander down the coast to Tathra for a pub lunch then to Merimbula, Pambula & Eden, the home of “old Tom the killer whale”. The devastation caused by the bushfires is only too evident. The burnt forests desperately clinging for life, covered in new fuzz-like growth.
Back to our favourite home in Bombala, the Heritage Guest House where Les waits for us. Do not arrive in Bombala on a Monday night. One dodgy pub open and no restaurants. We hit the IGA and fought with the locals over the last few pieces of fried chicken. We assembled a pot pourri of uninspiring food and returned to our Guesthouse for the evening.
Day 5 Bombala to Sydney
Time to head home. It’s a misty morning and the drizzle is constant. We endure a slow journey through the mountains as we head toward the inland highway home. A stop at Braidwood for a quick lunch and then the scramble commences, it’s everybody for himself. It’s been a long day in the saddle but we have been privileged to ride some of the greatest roads of southern NSW over the last 5 days. We have travelled 2,190kms.Thanks to Andy Gibson for organising and leading with aplomb. What can you say….the end of another Great Fox Adventure.
Silver Foxes Motorcycle Club Australia 